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Deadly days in Iraq to continue

AM - Friday, 22 June , 2007 08:16:00

Reporter: Michael Rowland

TONY EASTLEY: It's been a particularly deadly couple of days for US troops in Iraq.

Fourteen American soldiers have died over the last 48 hours as the so-called troop surge takes full effect.

And Americans are being warned there'll be more bloodshed in the weeks ahead, as the US military takes the fight to insurgents in Baghdad and in the volatile Anbar province west of the Iraqi capital.

North America Correspondent Michael Rowland reports.

(Sounds of bombing)

MICHAEL ROWLAND: Mortar shells rain down on Baghdad's green zone. Further proof, if any further proof was needed, that living and working in the most secure part of the Iraqi capital, is no guarantee of safety.

One shell exploded in a parking lot used by Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

The streets outside the heavily fortified international zone are becoming even deadlier for Iraqi's and US troops alike. Twelve American soldiers have been killed in Baghdad over the last two days. Five died overnight in a single roadside bombing, the blast also killed four Iraqis.

In addition to the Baghdad toll, two US marines have been killed fighting insurgents in the volatile Anbar province, west of the capital.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates says a big increase in casualties was expected as the so-called troop surge took effect.

ROBERT GATES: Our troops and the Iraqi troops are going into areas where they haven't been for some time, and they anticipated that there would be a high level of combat as they did that.

MICHAEL ROWLAND: Nearly 60 US soldiers have been killed this month alone, and given the new Baghdad security operation has only just begun, the US military is bracing the American public for even worse news in the weeks and months ahead.

General Peter Pace is the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.

PETER PACE: As we're taking the fight to the enemy with the additional troops, we can expect that there's going to be tough fighting ahead. And we're going to expect that our enemy is going to want to impact the psyche here in the United States with regard to the number of significant incidences that they're able to pull off, and the total number of casualties that are produced. So there is an expectation that this surge is going to result in more contact, and therefore more casualties.

MICHAEL ROWLAND: The US military is claiming some success.

It says American-led forces have killed more than 40 al-Qaeda militants in the restive Diyala province, north of Baghdad.

And if things weren't dangerous enough in Iraq, General Pace has confirmed the US is arming some of the Sunni groups that not too long ago were shooting at American soldiers.

He agrees it's a risky strategy but says the more weapons aimed at al-Qaeda fighters the better.